Sunday, July 1, 2012

1862 July 1 Lynchburg, Va.

[from the diary of William M. Blackford, bank officer and former diplomat, with five sons in the Confederate Army]

Tuesday July  1  ool morg--news of ano
ther very sanguinary battle yesterday af-
ternoon.  Hugers & Magruders [?]
taking the most action.  [?] enemy dri
-ven back two miles--22 generals and 600
prisoners taken by our troops--report that
McClellans is mortally wounded. I do
not think I am too sanguine when I pre
dict the capture of the greater portion
of the enemy--when they reach the James
no transports are there, and our men
are in close pursuit--They are terribly
demoralized & have lost, or destroyed, all
their stores--They must be pinched for
food--God grant I may not be too
sanguine--I think such a catastrophe
would finish the war--Charles & sue
and Mr Cazenove dined with us--Lanty
and Charley both intend going to join
the army again Thursday.  I think
neither is well enough.

MSS 4763

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